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Exacting Standards: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Role of Leadership
Exacting Standards: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Role of Leadership
Corporate social responsibility issues, such as business integrity, environmental stewardship, employee relations, community involvement, and human rights, are being covered in the media with greater frequency and prominence. Not coincidentally, more people than ever report that they form an impression of a company based on its social responsibility.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer just "good PR" or some generalized feel-good concept; it has a definite impact on the bottom line. In this new climate of increased scrutiny and the pressure it brings to bear on companies to modify their behavior, business leaders who understand the importance of CSR are becoming important catalysts for compliance. When the standards change, that's when it becomes more important than ever to have leaders who set the standard.
Corporate ethics programs can be cost-effective. They go a long way toward preventing lost sales, a demoralized workforce, and unethical behavior that can be increasingly costly to an organization, both in dollars and in terms of perception. Such programs can also help to attract and retain good employees who wish to work in an environment with high standards.
Forging stronger links to communities, which builds customer loyalty and reinforces employee satisfaction, often begins at the top. The leader sensitive to CSR, with all of its complexities and ramifications, is one who champions—in a prominent fashion—certain types of behavior whose business function may not be immediately evident.
The CEO who cuts the ribbon on the new company daycare center, for example, or who creates an event out of a meeting with the local wetlands preservation society, is one who understands the intricacies of context. This kind of behavior, these sorts of broad gestures cannot be expected to come from middle management and others focused, and properly so, on relatively narrow operational goals.
The interrelatedness of the company and the community, of the personal relationship employees have with the workplace, are not simple or obvious phenomena. Part of being a leader, though, is having a vision, which means seeing beyond the ordinary and delving below the surface. To effect change in the workplace, or to solidify (or rehabilitate) a company's reputation in a community represents a leadership challenge which, like so many in the upper echelons of business, amounts to setting a standard.
Chances are that a company known for its CSR, that is widely considered to be a genuinely ethical organization, is one whose leader believes in a set of values generally deemed ethical or responsible. It's a good bet that he or she has made it a key order of business that the company will behave in such a way, and that he or she will personally promote such values through the many vehicles companies have to promote their initiatives.
Many fundamental leadership concepts, such as buy-in and change management, could be said to revolve around the establishment of and commitment to standards. To set the standard is to be the standard—through your words, actions, and beliefs.
If you want to set the standard, a good way to start is to learn from others who have already done it. Trump University's upcoming Web seminar series The Trump Way to Wealth features seven standard-bearing masters of wealth creation, including Donald Trump himself. This exclusive event promises to be an interactive extravaganza. You can hear presentations by world-class experts from the comfort of your home or office, and ask questions too! Attendance is limited, so act now. To learn more, click here.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO GET RICH THE PIC WAY?
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CONSISTENT FOCUS, YOU CAN MAKE IT. GIVE IT A TRY.
Corporate social responsibility issues, such as business integrity, environmental stewardship, employee relations, community involvement, and human rights, are being covered in the media with greater frequency and prominence. Not coincidentally, more people than ever report that they form an impression of a company based on its social responsibility.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer just "good PR" or some generalized feel-good concept; it has a definite impact on the bottom line. In this new climate of increased scrutiny and the pressure it brings to bear on companies to modify their behavior, business leaders who understand the importance of CSR are becoming important catalysts for compliance. When the standards change, that's when it becomes more important than ever to have leaders who set the standard.
Corporate ethics programs can be cost-effective. They go a long way toward preventing lost sales, a demoralized workforce, and unethical behavior that can be increasingly costly to an organization, both in dollars and in terms of perception. Such programs can also help to attract and retain good employees who wish to work in an environment with high standards.
Forging stronger links to communities, which builds customer loyalty and reinforces employee satisfaction, often begins at the top. The leader sensitive to CSR, with all of its complexities and ramifications, is one who champions—in a prominent fashion—certain types of behavior whose business function may not be immediately evident.
The CEO who cuts the ribbon on the new company daycare center, for example, or who creates an event out of a meeting with the local wetlands preservation society, is one who understands the intricacies of context. This kind of behavior, these sorts of broad gestures cannot be expected to come from middle management and others focused, and properly so, on relatively narrow operational goals.
The interrelatedness of the company and the community, of the personal relationship employees have with the workplace, are not simple or obvious phenomena. Part of being a leader, though, is having a vision, which means seeing beyond the ordinary and delving below the surface. To effect change in the workplace, or to solidify (or rehabilitate) a company's reputation in a community represents a leadership challenge which, like so many in the upper echelons of business, amounts to setting a standard.
Chances are that a company known for its CSR, that is widely considered to be a genuinely ethical organization, is one whose leader believes in a set of values generally deemed ethical or responsible. It's a good bet that he or she has made it a key order of business that the company will behave in such a way, and that he or she will personally promote such values through the many vehicles companies have to promote their initiatives.
Many fundamental leadership concepts, such as buy-in and change management, could be said to revolve around the establishment of and commitment to standards. To set the standard is to be the standard—through your words, actions, and beliefs.
If you want to set the standard, a good way to start is to learn from others who have already done it. Trump University's upcoming Web seminar series The Trump Way to Wealth features seven standard-bearing masters of wealth creation, including Donald Trump himself. This exclusive event promises to be an interactive extravaganza. You can hear presentations by world-class experts from the comfort of your home or office, and ask questions too! Attendance is limited, so act now. To learn more, click here.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO GET RICH THE PIC WAY?
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CONSISTENT FOCUS, YOU CAN MAKE IT. GIVE IT A TRY.
